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The medial pterygoid muscle has functions including elevating the mandible (closing the mouth), protruding the mandible, mastication (especially for when the maxillary teeth and the mandibular teeth are close together), [1] and excursing the mandible (contralateral excursion occurs with unilateral contraction).
The lateral pterygoid plate of the sphenoid (or lateral lamina of pterygoid process) is broad, thin, and everted and forms the lateral part of a horseshoe like process that extends from the inferior aspect of the sphenoid bone, and serves as the origin of the lateral pterygoid muscle, which functions in allowing the mandible to move in a lateral and medial direction, or from side-to-side.
The four classical muscles of mastication elevate the mandible (closing the jaw) and move it forward/backward and laterally, facilitating biting and chewing. Other muscles are responsible for opening the jaw, namely the geniohyoid, mylohyoid, and digastric muscles (the lateral pterygoid may play a role).
The medial pterygoid nerve (nerve to medial pterygoid, [1] or internal pterygoid nerve [citation needed]) is a nerve of the head. It is a branch of the mandibular nerve (CN V 3 ). It supplies the medial pterygoid muscle , the tensor veli palatini muscle , and the tensor tympani muscle .
Diagram showing left medial and lateral pterygoid muscles. Part of the zygomatic arch and the ramus of the mandible have been cut away. The pterygomandibular space lies between the lateral surface of medial pterygoid and the medial surface of the mandibular ramus.
The nerve then comes to pass inferoanteriorly upon the medial pterygoid muscle towards the medial aspect of the ramus of mandible, eventually meeting the mandible at the junction of the ramus and body of mandible. Here, the lingual nerve is anterior and somewhat medial (deep) to the inferior alveolar nerve. [1]
In the head and neck, potential spaces are primarily defined by the complex attachment of muscles, especially mylohyoid, buccinator, masseter, medial pterygoid, superior constrictor and orbicularis oris. [6] Infections involving fascial spaces of the head and neck may give varying signs and symptoms depending upon the spaces involved.
Pterygoid, from the Greek for 'winglike', may refer to: Pterygoid bone, a bone of the palate of many vertebrates; Pterygoid processes of the sphenoid bone Lateral pterygoid plate; Medial pterygoid plate; Lateral pterygoid muscle; Medial pterygoid muscle; a branch of the Mandibular nerve